Genesis 4-6: Study Guide

Background

• Review of Genesis 1-3: God created the earth and made human life; however, humanity was banished for disobeying God.
• Setting for Genesis 4: The setting is somewhere outside of the Garden of Eden, at a time when Adam and Eve start to have children. A strange aspect of the setting is when Cain anticipates wandering the earth and complains that someone might find him and kill him (Genesis 4:14). This implies that there were people throughout the earth, even though Cain appears to be firstborn person of human history (Genesis 4:1).

Study Preparations

• Timer: Assign a timer who will focus the group on spending 15 minutes in each chapter
• Genesis 4: It may be beneficial to set aside 20 minutes for Genesis 4
• Prayer: Open in prayer and invite God to provide understanding into Genesis 4-6

Genesis 4

Read: Choose a reader to read Genesis 4.

Discussion

1. First Impressions: What stood out to you in the reading of Genesis 4?
2. Cain's Dilemma: What is Cain's dilemma in verses 1-7? 
1. How does God appear to reach out to him in these verses?
2. What seems to be Cain's options for how to react? 
3. Cain's Curse: How does God appear to get His idea for how He will curse Cain?
1. What will be different for Cain now that he has been cursed?
2. What do you think about how God responds to Cain's complaint over being cursed?
4. Cain's Genealogy: What stands out in Cain's genealogy that seems to be emphasized?
1. Cain's genealogy often uses the formula: "He was the father of all those who _____." What do we learn about the line of Cain through this formula?
2. What insight can we draw about Cain's lineage from the story of Lamech, based upon how the man thinks and behaves? What might we predict about the future of Cain's lineage in light of Lamech's story?
5. Birth of a New Seed: What do you think about the way that this chapter ends? What do you anticipate in the chapters that follow?

Transition: The leader ties Genesis 4 into the full picture of Genesis, and transitions the group into Genesis 5. Suggested themes and foreshadows include:

• The birth of children
• Offerings to God (& their acceptability)
• Anger, murder, & vengeance
• Generational family patterns
• Human industry (devised by the descendants of Cain)
• The ground ('Adam')
• Prayer ("Calling on the name of the Lord")

Genesis 5

Read: Choose a reader to read Genesis 5.

Discussion

1. Introduction: This chapter begins by recalling some things that we have already learned about humanity from past chapters. How do these recollections guide our focus in moving forward?
2. Patterns: What patterns or formulas appear to be a part of this genealogy?
3. Mystery Man: Which man broke the pattern of Adam's lineage, and how? Where do you think he went?
4. Noah: What does his name mean? How do you think that his father's prophecy will unfold?

Transition: The leader ties Genesis 5 into the full picture of Genesis, and transitions the group into Genesis 6. Suggested themes and foreshadows include:

• Genesis 5 marks a new category of history ('toledoth' - compare Genesis 2:4 & 5:1)
• Birth & Death
• Long Life (They had children at near age 100; died before age 1,000)
• Walking with God (Compare Genesis 5:22,24 & 6:9; c.f. Hosea 11:12; Micah 6:8; Leviticus 26:12)
• Prophecy of comfort from the curse

Genesis 6

Read: Choose a reader to read Genesis 6.

Discussion

1. First Impressions
1. How do you feel about the fantasy-like nature of Genesis 6?
2. As God looked at the wild state of the world He had made, He made certain reflective remarks. What sorts of thoughts, feelings, and reactions did God appear to be having?
2. Total Corruption: In this chapter God looked at His creation and saw how corrupt it had become. What specific evil behavior was God observing?
3. Noah's Preparations: God gave Noah numerous instructions for surviving a flood that He was about to bring against the whole earth. Which instructions seem the most interesting and significant to you?
4. Covenant with Noah: God promised to establish a covenant with Noah. What might Noah have thought that God had in mind?

Transition: The leader ties Genesis 6 into the full picture of Genesis, and helps the group anticipate what may be coming in the next study. Suggested themes and foreshadows include:

• Rise of violence & total corruption
• Existence of mighty beings (e.g. giants, "sons of God")
• God limits humanity further (120 year age limit)
• God's total annihilation of the earth
• God's acts of preservation & promise of a future covenant

Closing

Looking Forward: Humanity has degenerated from eating from a tree that was forbidden into total violence & corruption. God appears to be preparing to start all over with Noah. As we continue through Genesis, do we expect anything to change through how God deals with Noah?

1. Ground Curse vs. Promise of Comfort: God extended the curse of the ground when He cursed Cain in chapter 4. However, in chapter 5 Lamech prophesies that through Noah man will be comforted in his toil and working of the ground. How do you anticipate that this will be accomplished through Noah?
2. Reduced Lifespan: The human lifespan has taken further hit by being limited to a maximum of only 120 years (at first the maximum age appeared to be around 1000). When put into the total picture of Genesis, does hope for humanity seem to be growing (e.g. comfort from the curse) or shrinking (e.g. global floods)?